| Syrian talks appear doomed as air strike kills dozens in market Posted: 19 Apr 2016 12:05 PM PDT  By John Irish and Tom Perry GENEVA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian peace talks appeared all but doomed on Tuesday after air strikes killed about 40 people in a crowded vegetable market in rebel territory, with the opposition saying a truce was finished and it would keep out of negotiations indefinitely. A monitoring group said it believed the strike on the market in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province was the deadliest single attack since a partial ceasefire took effect on Feb. 27. A rescue worker said warplanes had simultaneously struck markets in two towns in Idlib killing at least 38 people in Maarat al-Numan and 10 others in nearby Kafr Nubl.
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| Brazil's Rousseff slams impeachment drive as 'sexist' Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:34 PM PDT  By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's left-leaning President Dilma Rousseff said on Tuesday she had been singled out for impeachment by a male dominated Congress partly because she is a woman and warned that the campaign to oust her was fuelling hatred and intolerance. Rousseff, Brazil's first female president, once again said there were no legal grounds for her ouster on charges of breaking budgetary laws, after the lower house of Congress backed her impeachment on Sunday. "There has been, mixed in all of this, a large amount of prejudice against women," Rousseff said at a news conference with international media in Brasilia.
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| Fidel Castro speaks of death in address to Cuba's Communist Party Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:44 PM PDT  By Marc Frank HAVANA (Reuters) - Retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro emerged from seclusion on Tuesday to muse about death and provide encouragement to his followers, in a rare speech at the closing of a Communist Party congress in Havana. Cries of "Fidel, Fidel" once again rang out as the now frail former leader made his most extensive public appearance in years, speaking with a strong, if slightly hoarse, voice. "The ideas of Cuban Communists will remain," he said, "as proof that on this planet, if you work hard and with dignity, you can produce the material and cultural goods human beings need." As with other stage-managed appearances in recent years he not shown standing, even as his brother and all the delegates rose to their feet in his honor.
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| Afghan Taliban kill at least 28 in major attack in central Kabul Posted: 19 Apr 2016 09:11 AM PDT  By Josh Smith and Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomb and gun assault on a government security building during Tuesday morning rush hour in central Kabul killed at least 28 people and wounded more than 320, in the deadliest single attack in the Afghan capital since 2011. President Ashraf Ghani condemned the assault "in the strongest possible terms" in a statement from the presidential palace, located only a few hundred meters away from the scene of the blast. The insurgency led by the Afghan Taliban has gained strength since the withdrawal of most international combat troops at the end of 2014, and the Islamist group is believed to be stronger than at any point since it was driven from power by U.S.-backed forces in 2001.
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| Swedish Brussels bombing suspect also seen involved in Paris attacks: paper Posted: 19 Apr 2016 01:51 PM PDT  A Swede who is a suspect in March's Brussels metro bombing is now also under suspicion for playing a role in the Paris attacks last November, Belgian newspaper De Standaard said on Tuesday. The paper said 23-year-old Osama Krayem's DNA was found in several of the safe houses that were used by the perpetrators to prepare the Paris attacks that killed 130 people. Krayem, who was charged with murder after his arrest in Brussels last Friday, is accused of being the man seen with suicide bomber Khalid El Bakraoui minutes before he blew himself up on a metro train.
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| U.S. military plane crash last year caused by goggles case: Air Force Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:17 PM PDT The incorrect placement of a night vision goggles case caused a U.S. military transport plane to crash in Afghanistan in October, killing 14 people, the U.S. Air Force said in a report. At the time of the crash, a spokesman for the Taliban said its fighters had shot down the aircraft, but even then the U.S. military had said enemy fire was not suspected as a factor in the crash. The Air Force report, released last week, said that in order to provide more space while loading and offloading cargo at Jalalabad airfield, the pilot had put the case in front of the yoke to hold the elevators in place. |
| Top Asian News 11:58 p.m. GMT Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:58 PM PDT BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — The 14-year-old boy in the black school jacket stared at his sneakers, his heart pounding, as the policeman accused him of stealing a piece of bread. Even now, more than 30 years later, Choi Seung-woo weeps when he describes all that happened next. The policeman yanked down the boy's pants and sparked a cigarette lighter near Choi's genitals until he confessed to a crime he didn't commit. Then two men with clubs came and dragged Choi off to the Brothers Home, a mountainside institution where some of the worst human rights atrocities in modern South Korean history took place. |
| The Latest: UN Security Council condemns Taliban attack Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:57 PM PDT  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Latest on the militant assault on an Afghan government security compound in Kabul (all times local):
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| Evergrande keeps Asian Champions League title defense alive Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:45 PM PDT SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Defending champion Guangzhou Evergrande kept its Asian Champions League title defense alive Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Pohang Steelers. |
| US envoy says Burundi government is 'driver' of crisis Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:37 PM PDT  A senior US official accused Burundi's government of being behind the central African country's prolonged political crisis, saying Tuesday that the administration was doing everything possible to stop Washington helping civilians. Burundi has been in turmoil since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a third term, which he went on to win in July, with violence leaving hundreds dead. "The government of Burundi is the driver, not the victim of this current crisis, whether it's on the political side or the economic side," Thomas Perriello, US special envoy for Africa's Great Lakes region, told a press conference in the capital Bujumbura.
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| Beaten in Congress, Brazil's Workers Party turns to the streets Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:26 PM PDT  By Anthony Boadle and Alonso Soto BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's ruling Workers Party, reeling from a humiliating defeat in an impeachment vote in Congress, is threatening to bring the country to a standstill with mass protests against what it calls a 'coup' to topple President Dilma Rousseff. Party leaders' pledges to take their fight to the streets, after the lower house on Sunday backed a motion to impeach Rousseff, have raised fears they will attempt to destabilize a transitional government in Latin America's largest economy. It is a shadow of the organization that once commanded near fanatical support among Brazil's poor, and will struggle to sustain its fight against impeachment, analysts say.
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| Australia schedules day-night tests v South Africa, Pakistan Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:25 PM PDT MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Cricket Australia has scheduled day-night test matches against South Africa and Pakistan in a revamped southern summer schedule that will break with recent tradition by starting in Perth. |
| Mourinho, Ranieri to meet in charity football match Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:17 PM PDT  Jose Mourinho will manage England against a Rest of the World team coached by Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri in an Old Trafford charity match in June, organisers have announced. The two former Chelsea managers will face off in the sixth Soccer Aid event on June 5, to raise money for the children's charity Unicef. Mourinho, out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last December, will be assisted by Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, with British pop star and Soccer Aid co-founder Robbie Williams also helping out.
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| U.N.concerned by Machar delay in return to South Sudan capital Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:05 PM PDT  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council expressed serious concern on Tuesday over the failure of South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar to return to Juba to take up his old post as deputy to President Salva Kiir as part of a peace deal. U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous briefed the 15-member council on South Sudan at the request of the United States.
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| Pulled from rubble, Ecuadorean won't need coffin wife got Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:00 PM PDT  PORTOVIEJO, Ecuador (AP) — Despite the grief roiling this earthquake-stricken town, Pablo Cordova has something to be thankful for: He can return the coffin his wife had obtained for his funeral.
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| 'Concerned' UN pushes South Sudan's Machar to return to Juba Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:58 PM PDT  The UN Security Council expressed "serious concern" on Tuesday over delays in the return of South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar to the capital Juba as part of a peace deal. The 15-member council met behind closed doors at the request of the United States to hear a report on the latest hurdle in the way of the agreement to end the two-year civil war. Council members "urged all parties to quickly form the transitional government and fully implement the peace agreement," said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao, whose country holds the council presidency.
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| Intel to cut 12,000 jobs as it confronts decline in PCs Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:58 PM PDT  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Intel is cutting 12,000 jobs — about 11 percent of its workforce — as it reorganizes to confront a decline in sales of personal computers.
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| Newcastle holds Man City 1-1, Aguero reaches 100 EPL goals Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:47 PM PDT  NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle continued its late fight to avoid relegation from the top tier, drawing 1-1 with Manchester City on Tuesday after Sergio Aguero became the second fastest player to score 100 English Premier League goals.
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| Senior U.S. lawmakers want India PM Modi to address U.S. Congress Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:47 PM PDT  By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee called on Tuesday for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress during a visit to Washington in June. "Given the depth of our relationship with India across a range of areas - defense, humanitarian and disaster relief, space cooperation, conservation and innovation - we believe this is an ideal opportunity for the Congress to hear directly from the prime minister," Representatives Ed Royce, the Republican committee chairman, and Eliot Engel, the panel's ranking Democrat, wrote to House Speaker Paul Ryan. A spokeswoman for Ryan said she had no announcement at this time about whether Ryan would extend the invitation.
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| Possible next Brazil leader is dealmaker and scandal-tainted Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:43 PM PDT  RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The man who may become Brazil's next president is almost as unpopular as the leader facing impeachment now, and stained by scandals of his own.
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| Brazil leader warns of instability in impeachment bid Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:30 PM PDT  Brasília (AFP) - President Dilma Rousseff warned Tuesday that the impeachment process against her will deepen political instability in Brazil and said that sexism played a part in efforts to oust its first female head of state. "This will not bring political stability. Why will it not bring political stability?
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| Napoli beats Bologna 6-0, its biggest league win in 29 years Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:16 PM PDT  NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Napoli got back to winning ways in style as Dries Mertens scored a hat trick to help the southern side to a 6-0 victory over Bologna in Serie A on Tuesday.
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| Democrat attacks policy on China, Republican defends it Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:16 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's policy on the disputed South China Sea came under attack Tuesday from a fellow Democrat, and in an unusual twist, it was a Republican adversary who leapt to the administration's defense. |
| Celta Vigo held by Espanyol to 1-1 draw in Spanish league Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:12 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Celta Vigo missed a chance to move closer to the top in the Spanish league by drawing with Espanyol 1-1 on Tuesday. |
| Canada competition bureau clears Google of wrongdoing Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:11 PM PDT  Canada's competition watchdog announced Tuesday it was closing its investigation into allegations Google abused its dominance in online search advertising to keep rivals down. The move comes as the EU is set to unveil formal antitrust charges against the US-based tech giant over how it markets its Android mobile phone operating system, while it continues to investigate shopping services on Google's search engine. In Canada, the Competition Bureau said it had found evidence to support one of the allegations against the company: that it used "anti-competitive clauses" in certain contracts that effectively excluded its competitors.
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| Argentina returns to global markets with $16.5 billion bond Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:11 PM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina has made a highly successful return to global credit markets with the launch of a $16.5 billion bond offering. |
| US lawmakers want Indian PM to address Congress Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Top lawmakers overseeing U.S. foreign policy are urging the House speaker to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address Congress on a visit slated for June. |
| Women drivers incapable, says Formula One boss Ecclestone Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:04 PM PDT  Women drivers are not physically able to drive quickly enough in Formula One, the sport's supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggested at a conference in London on Tuesday. "I don't know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly and they wouldn't be taken seriously," the 85-year-old told an audience at Advertising Week Europe. There are currently no female drivers in Formula One, with test driver Susie Wolff, who retired last November, the last woman to be employed in a driving capacity by an F1 team.
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| U.N. reviews war on drugs amid global push for liberalization Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:04 PM PDT  By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly gathered on Tuesday to rethink global strategy in the war on narcotics for the first time in two decades as activists, U.N. officials and world leaders cited an international trend towards more liberal drug laws. Despite broad agreement on the need to deal with the global drug problem, there are deep divisions among the 193 U.N. member states, with some favoring a shift towards decriminalization and a greater focus on reducing the harm caused both by narcotics abuse and the war on drugs. A number of Latin American leaders say the aggressive war on drugs has failed, having killed or destroyed thousands of lives worldwide.
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| US and Iran report some progress on Iran sanctions complaint Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:57 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reported some progress Tuesday on Iranian complaints that it's not getting the sanctions relief it deserves under last year's landmark nuclear deal. |
| Venezuela opposition out to oust mid-term president Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:57 PM PDT  Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rallied support against him on Tuesday as the mid-point of his mandate passed, leaving him prey to legal measures to drive him from office. Thousands of supporters of the center-right opposition attended gatherings in Caracas and across the country to attract support for a referendum on cutting his term short. The opposition vowed to oust him when it took control of the legislature in January after winning elections, blaming him for an economic crisis.
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| Islamic State gains ground in Syria's Deir al-Zor city: monitor Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:57 PM PDT Islamic State militants seized Syrian government-controlled territory in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor on Tuesday, a war monitor and a news agency affiliated with the ultra-hardline Islamist group said. Islamic State took complete control of the city's industrial district after fierce clashes with Syrian government and allied forces, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The militant group captured nearly all of Deir al-Zor province, which borders Iraq, after seizing the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014. |
| Keane thwarts Boro, Charlton relegated Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:57 PM PDT  Centre-back Michael Keane scored a 92nd-minute equaliser as Burnley prevented promotion rivals Middlesbrough going four points clear at the Championship summit in a 1-1 draw on Tuesday. Burnley's 19-game unbeaten streak looked destined to end after Jordan Rhodes, formerly of their arch rivals Blackburn Rovers, scored from close range in the 70th minute to put Boro ahead at Turf Moor. Brighton moved level on points with Burnley in England's second tier after crushing Queens Park Rangers 4-0, while Charlton Athletic were condemned to League One after drawing 0-0 at already-relegated Bolton Wanderers.
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| UFC's McGregor creates stir with retirement talk on Twitter Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:55 PM PDT  Conor McGregor has packed a punch on social media rather than inside a UFC cage.
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| Dispute deepens over GOP delegates for US Virgin Islands Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:54 PM PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A dispute over which Republican delegates from the U.S. Virgin Islands will be sent to the upcoming national convention has grown increasingly unruly. |
| PSG reaches French Cup final in pursuit of domestic treble Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:54 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the winner as Paris Saint-Germain reached the French Cup final with a scrappy 1-0 win over Lorient on Tuesday. |
| German reported denied entry to Turkey back in Egypt Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:47 PM PDT  ISTANBUL (AP) — A German reporter was prevented from entering Turkey on Tuesday and was held in a deportation room at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before he was sent back to Cairo, according to a Turkish official and a German broadcaster.
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| Fresh rallies in Macedonia over wire-tapping amnesty Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:47 PM PDT  Several thousand people marched through the Macedonian capital on Tuesday for the eighth day running, protesting at President Gjorge Ivanov's decision to halt a probe into top politicians embroiled in a wire-tapping scandal. The protesters marched throughout central Skopje carrying placards reading "No justice, no peace" and "Ivanov resign." Smaller protests were also held in other towns. The two-year-long political crisis in the landlocked Balkan country ratcheted up a gear a week earlier, when Ivanov announced a decision that would protect more than 50 public figures from possible prosecution.
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| China should confirm no plans for military planes in Spratlys: U.S. Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:46 PM PDT  By David Brunnstrom and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Tuesday called on China to reaffirm it has no plans to deploy military aircraft in the Spratly Islands after Beijing used a military plane to evacuate sick workers from a new airstrip on an island it has created in the disputed South China Sea. China's Defence Ministry earlier dismissed U.S. queries as to why China had used a military aircraft rather than a civilian one in Sunday's evacuation from Fiery Cross Reef.
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